Handmade bags from Thailand: Ethnic Lanna

Let’s meet Ethnic Lanna

On Discovered Ethnic Lanna is known for their striking handmade bags from Thailand. They succeed every time in combing matching colors with a unique type of bag.

Carlos Mantilla, founder of Ethnic Lanna, wanted to find a way to share the creations of the artisans he met in Chiang Mai (Thailand) with the world while helping them to create a better life for themselves and their families. He now lives there and works one-on-one with the artisans to create exclusive pieces for Ethnic Lanna.

Combination of tradition and modern designs

Ethnic Lanna bags are made from traditional Thai fabrics such as the Batik which is hand stamped using wax resin. The artisans like to incorporate their own twist to the bags by mixing them with more modern embroidery designs that they created with Carlos. As a result juxtaposition between traditional and contemporary features comes back in a lot of their products. The artisans create the bags using high quality cotton lining and other fabrics like Batik. Furthermore they add the Ethnic Lanna touch by adding pom poms, beads, tassels, coins, or some other form of decoration. Then they’re finally ready to send to customers all over the world!

Ethnic Lanna working

Ethnic Lanna handmade bags

A lot of Carlos’ inspiration comes from the scenery in Chiang Mai or from his weekend trips. He constantly takes pictures of plants, buildings, artwork that inspires him and looks back at those photos when designing a new collection. ‘Most of my inspiration comes from the way of life in Chiang Mai. There is no city like this one. There’s a very relaxed, optimistic feel here. You can’t help but let go of your stress and embrace the good vibes that embody this city,’ says Carlos. He likes to emulate this feeling in the products he designs. They’re very easy going, bright and wearable pieces that remind Carlos of the city.

Why Ethnic Lanna bags are special

Ethnic Lanna bags are special because they are made ethically by artisans who love what they do. They all have a say in the creation process and Ethnic Lanna truly believes that that is what make their bags so unique.

Most popular

Their best selling bag is definitely the classic envelope clutch. Ethnic Lanna started with a few patterns and it now comes in a variety of colors, styles, and prints.

More about Carlos

His dreamCarlos’ dream is to offer the Thai artisans – who he now has a very personal relationship with – a better way of living with their families. He also loves it if people experience the magic of Thailand through the products the artisans create if they are unable to go there.

His favoritesThe Circle Cross Body is Carlos’ favorite bag. It varies upon his mood or the season. But right now he’s very proud of their newest bag. Ethnic Lanna wrote a blog about it. Besides that we listed two of our favorites.